Portable electric air heater and circulator



March 31, 1925. 1,531,519

L. SIMMONS PORTABLE ELECTRIC AIR HEATER AND CIRCULATOR Filed April 24. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l MI] UUEUEHU HIDE! [DE DE" 5 6R0: n01 I N March 31, 1925.

L. SIMMONS PORTABLE ELECTRIC AIR HEATE? AND CIRCULATOR Filed April 24. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 31,, 1925.

UNITED STATES LEO SIMMONS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TOR-TABLE ELECTRIC AIR HEATER AND GIRCULATOR.

Application filed April 24, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEO SIMMONS, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Portable Electric Air Heaters and Circulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric heaters of the air heating and circulating type; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanations of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred mechanical expression or embodiment of my invention from among other forms, constructions and arrangements within the spirit and scope thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide an electric heater (particularly of the portable type and preferably ornamental in appearance) of improved construction, peculiarly adapted for use in raising the temperature of comparatively small rooms, such as bath roomsand other enclosures, by heating air and causing circulation thereof throughout such room or other enclosure.

With this, and other objects in View, my invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and arrangements, as more fully and particularly described and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Fig. 1' is a side elevation of an electric heater embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 44, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5, is a detail top plan view.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a liquid heating receptacle employed in combination with the heater.

The particular example illustrated, as an embodiment of my invention, is in the form of an ornamental stand or pedestal, and comprises a vertically arranged or upright tubular housing or casing providing a vertical or longitudinal bore or air passage having cool air inlets at its lower end, Warm air outlets at its upper end.

Serial No. 708,808.

In the example shown, the casing comprises an upright hollow or tubular housing 1 of porcelain or other, preferably vrrified, ceramic material, and a porcelain or other, preferably vitrified, ceramic material top cover or disk 2.

The upright ceramic material housing 1 is preferably thick walled, and of enlarged diameter at its lower end to form a supporting base 3, which base is preferably hollow to provide air entrance chamber 4 having an annular series of radial cool air inlets 5. The upright stem of the housing provides a central vertical bore or air passage 6, lead ing up from the air inlet chamber 1-, into which the lower end of bore 6 opens through the top wall of said chamber. The. upper end of bore 6 preferably flares or enlarges upwardly in diameter, and opens through the center of the floor of a heating chamber 7 of enlarged diameter. The upper portion of the housing is of enlarged diameter to provide the heating chamber 7, which is covered or closed at the top by the ceramic material top disk or cover 2, that rests on the annular top edge of the housing 1. The enlargement or abrupt flare of the upper portion ofv the housing to provide the heating chamber 7, forms said chamber with an annular horizontal bottom floor 8, surrounding the top outlet of the bore 6, and an aunular upright enclosing wall 9, rising from said floor 8 and forming the surrounding vertical rim or circumferential wall 10 of the chamber 7, and the cover disk 2, rests on the annular top edge of this wall 10.

Any suitable provision is made for heated air outlet from the chamber 7, to promote and maintain inrush of air into the lower end of the housing, as through inlets 5, chamber 4, and bore 6. In the particular example, the top edge of the upright wall 10, is notched at intervals to provide an annular series of radial heated air outlets 11, and also, if so desired, the upright wall 10 can be formed, intermediate its vertical length, with an annular series of spaced openings, covered by suitable ornamental open grill work or panels 12 providing for heated air outlet and for outward heat radiation from, and for inspection of the heating element within chamber 7 as hereinafter described.

The heating unit is annular or of ring formation and is located in chamber 7, rest ing on the annular floor 8, thereof and is centered thereon by the upright wall 10.

In this instance, the heatingunit consists of a flanged metal ring forming open-top annularmetal trough 18, annular porcelain or vitrified insulating ring 14; seated in said metal trough 13, and having open-top grooves or socket 1 1?; and the annular resistance 'or heating element ring 15, in the form of a coil of resistance wire seated in the open top socket 14 of the porcelain,

and having any suitable arrangement of terminals 16, and leading in Wires 17, for

electricalconnection intothe power circuit.

The heating element 15 is designed to become preferably red hot or incandescent when coupled into the power circuit, and thereby radiate heat into the chamber. '7, and also, by conduction, heat the porcelain 14 to ahigh temperature, and also by conduction from the porcelain holder 14, heat the comparatively heavy metal holder or ring trough 18 to a more or less high temperature. The heat ng unit (conslstlng of the metal holder, the porcelain ring, and

the heating element ring) hence constitutes a source of heat, by which the chamber 7 andits walls are heated, whereby the air in the chamber becomes heated tomaintain the outflow of heatedair from the chamber and the inflow of cool air at the lower end of the housing. This movement of air within and to and from the housing, starts the air, in the room orfenclosure in which my heater is located, circulating with the end in view of gradually heating the airin the room and raising the temperature ofthe rooom to a degree that willbe comfortable for the occupant or occupants thereof.

This heater is particularly designed for bath rooms, or other comparatively small rooms, and in practice it. has proved to be exceedingly effective for the purposes in tended as well as economical in current consumption compared'tothe results attained.

v The heavy porcelain ring becomes more or less highly heater, and this is also true of the metal holding ring 13, and thus the unit then becomes an eflicient source of heat rectly radiate heat into chamber 7 yet it isnot directly exposed to an air blast or air current that might unduly chill the same.

ing or for the preparation of beverages, or

In the example shown, the top wall of the chamber 7 is formed by the ceramic material cover disk 2, and if so desired, the' although I do not wish to so limit my inven- 'tion.

The heater disclosed is peculiarly adapted for combination with a water or other liquid heating vessel. For'instance, I form the end cover 2 with-a vertical central passage 18 extending completely therethrough from the heating chamber 7, and this passage can if so desired constitute a heated air escape. However, this passage 18 is primarily designed to receive the depending metal liquid well 19 of a liquid heating vessel 20, to permit said well to extend into the heatingchamber' into the zonedirectly heated by the heating unit. The liquid holding vessel 20 is removable and is -de-' signed to be'supported above the end head or disk 2 and is formed with a base to rest on the top surface of the central portion thereof with the well 19 removably depending through passage 18 into heated relation to the heating unit. The upper end of the otherwise closed well 19 opens into the interior of the vessel and hence the liquid in the vessel will become heated throughout by the application of heat to the well. Liquid can thus be quicklyvheated for shav other purposes.

The members making up the casing,-can be variously assembled. and secured together. although in the particular example illustrated. I show the lower end of the tubular upright housing 1. closed by a base disk or end head. and the upper end thereof closed by the ceramic material end head or top cover 2. and removable tie and clamping bolts 23. clamping said; end heads to the ends of the tubular housing. said bolts being concealed within and extending longitudinally through the housing.

In case of necessity, the heating unit is readily accessible through the open top of the tubular housing. von removal of the top head 2. The heating unit can thus be readily placed in position-and also removed through the top. of the-heater.

Advantages. in a heater of this character, are gained by forming thehousing and its top of ceramic material because; ofits heat holding qualities and for other reasons.

The casing is preferably of-pleasing exterior appearance and design to constitute an ornament.

It isevi'dent that various changes, modifications, and variations might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of. my invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosures hereof.

lVhat I claim is 1.. An electric heater embodying an up ri ht casing providing an internal air heating chamber with a bottom, an air inlet, and an air outlet for upward circulation of air through the casing, and an annular horizontally disposed electric heating unit ring arranged in said chamber.

2. An electric heater embodying an upright longitudinally hollow ceramic material housing providing for upward air circulation therethrough, and an electric heating unit ring disposed in and supported by said housing.

3. An electric heater embodying an upright tubular ceramic material housing having a top ceramic material head, and providing bottom air inlets and top air outlets, and a removable electric heating unitring seated in said housing below said head and surrounding the air passage through said housing.

4. An electric heater embodying an upright tubular housing forming a vertical air passage, and an electric heating unit ring seated in said housing and surrounding said passage.

An electric heater embodying an up right tubular housing providing an internal longitudinal air passage surrounded by an annular ledge, and an electric heating unit ring seated on said ledge, said housing providing lower air inlets and upper air outlets.

6. A portable electric heater comprising an upright stand embodying a tubular housing providing a heating chamber having air outlets and a central bottom air inlet, and an electric heating unit ring seated on the floor of said chamber and surrounding said inlet.

7. A portable electric heater comprising an upright stand embodying a tubular housing providing a heating chamber having air outlets and a central bottom air inlet, and an electric heating unit ring seated on the floor of said chamber and surrounding said inlet, said ring embodying a porcelain ring having an electric resistance heating element seated therein and exposed at the top thereof.

8. A portable electric heater comprising an upright stand embodying a tubular housing providing a heating chamber having air outlets and a central bottom air inlet, and an electric heating unit ring seated on the floor of said chamber and surrounding said inlet, said ring embodying an open-top annular metal trough, an opentop porcelain trough seated in the metal trough, and an electric resistance heating element seated in the porcelain trough.

9. A portable electric heater comprising an upright longitudinally tubular housing having upper and lower air passages from the interior to the exterior or" the housing and forming an interior annular floor surrounding a longitudinal air passage formed by the housing, a removable top head for said housing, and a removable electric resistance heating unit ring seated on said floor.

10. A portable electric heater comprising an upright tubular housing enlarged at its upper portion to form a heating chamber, said housing providing lower air inlets and an air passage to said chamber, and providing heated air outlets from said chamber, and an electric resistance heating unit seated on the floor of said chamber.

11. An electric heater comprising a housing providing a heating chamber and means for supplying air thereto and permitting escape of heated air therefrom, an electric resistance heating unit seated in said chamher, the top of the chamber having a vertical passage above said heater, and a removable liquid heating vessel having adepending liquid well, said vessel constructed and arranged to seat on said top with said well depending through said passage into the zone of heat from said unit.

Signed at WVashington, D. 0., this 23 day of April, 1924.

LEO SIMMONS. 

